Texas WIC adds formula options for families affected by recall
Staff
Texas WIC is actively working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Abbott, the makers of Similac, on the impact of the recent infant formula recall, and WIC has temporarily added more options. Texas WIC has sent text messages directly to clients who may be impacted by the recent recall.
For Similac Advance, Similac Total Comfort, Similac Sensitive, and Similac for Spit-Up, WIC has made more options available. Parents can visit texashhs.org/wicfoodupdates and TexasWIC.org for the most up-to-date information on alternative formulas.
Parents who cannot find the listed brands or sizes at the store are encouraged to contact their local WIC office for assistance.
For Alimentum, Similac PM 60/40, Elecare, and Elecare Jr., clients will need to contact their health care provider to ask for a new prescription.
These are highly specialized formulas that are prescribed for specific reasons, so a health care provider must be consulted to make sure that the formula will meet the infant’s medical needs.
If a WIC client has powdered formula affected by this recall, they should return it to the store or contact Abbott Labs at 1-800-986-8540 for replacement. The WIC program has notified authorized grocers that WIC customers should be treated like all other customers related to this recall.
If WIC clients are unable to exchange recalled formula or find an alternative at the store, they can contact their WIC office for assistance.
The City of San Marcos WIC Program, serving, Hays, Caldwell, Comal, and Guadalupe counties, can be reached by phone at 512-393-8040 or by email at wicinfo@sanmarcostx.gov .
Safety Information
If someone has purchased powdered baby or toddler formula with the brand names Similac, Alimentum, or EleCare, the first thing they should do is check to see if their formula was affected at https://www.similacrecall.com/us/en/product-lookup.html.
Look at the bottom of the can or container and find the lot number and enter it into the website. If recalled, do not use it, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to get a replacement. Abbott can be contacted at 1-800-986-8540.
Parents can contact their baby’s health care provider if their baby recently drank one of the recalled products and are experiencing fever, not eating well, excessive crying, low energy, or other symptoms. Formula not included in the recall can be considered safe and families can still use it.
Because babies need a specific balance of nutrients, WIC and the American Academy of Pediatrics do not recommend making baby formula at home, and it is not safe to use cows’ milk, or to overly dilute formula.
